Our security measures
We are continually assessing our technology to ensure we provide the best security for you.
To keep your information secure, we safeguard our systems in the following ways:
- Anti-virus protection stops threats before they reach our computer network.
- Firewalls prevent unauthorised access to our network.
- Secure transmissions maintain confidential information. Encryption technology such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is utilised when sending information between you and the bank. Security is achieved through:
- Authentication to establish the validity of a transmission; this prevents another computer from impersonating the bank.
- Encryption to scramble transmitted data over the Internet.
- Data integrity to verify that information sent to us has not been altered during the transmission process.
Additional online security features
Adaptive Authentication
St.George Internet Banking is protected by our market-leading technology St.George Secure™ Adaptive Authentication – a comprehensive, real-time, authentication and fraud detection platform that monitors your banking behaviour.
Automatic time out period
We recommend that you not leave your computer unattended when logged into Internet Banking. However, after a period of inactivity we will automatically log you out to reduce the risk of anyone else accessing your account information on your computer.
Lockout
To prevent someone from trying to guess your Password, access to Internet Banking will be blocked after a number of unsuccessful logon attempts.
Time of last logon
To confirm that there has been no unauthorised access to your account, when you logon to Internet Banking you will see the date and time of your last visit and the details of your last online transaction.
Secure Code
St.George Secure Code is part of our Adaptive Authentication technology, allowing us to request that you enter a code to authenticate a transaction or access a feature. This verifies that a genuine action is being performed by you, the authorised person.
Our measures to prevent card fraud
St.George ATMs are fitted with ATM anti-skimming technology. A number of our ATMs have PIN pad shields that conceal you typing in your PIN.
We also actively monitor your typical card spending, so we can detect any unusual spending patterns that might indicate fraud.
We contact you if we detect unusual activity
Our Fraud Detection team operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to protect your security, whether you are at home or overseas. For example, when there are transactions on your card that differ considerably from any style of transaction you've done before, we will attempt to contact you (regardless of your location) to check that it is really you making the transactions. For your protection there may be instances when we need to immediately stop your card prior to making contact with you.
Our Fraud Detection team may initially contact you via SMS message. The SMS message will ask you call the number on the back of your card. This St.George SMS will never display a specific telephone number for you to call us back on. If you don't have your card on hand, please refer to the phone numbers listed under contact us on the St.George website.
We stop your card to prevent further fraud
St.George will stop your card when you call to report a fraudulent transaction or when a potential fraud alert is triggered.
If there really is fraud on your card, we will stop access to prevent any more spending. We have to act fast in such instances and sometimes, if we can't reach you when we try to call, we may decide to stop access to your card to ensure we protect your account until we can speak to you.
How we manage a fraudulent transaction
The St.George Fraud Detection team will take the following steps we take when fraud occurs:
- Contact you on all your available telephone numbers, which may include sending you an SMS and a letter to inform you about the fraud.
- If your ATM card is compromised you can attend any St.George branch to obtain a replacement card on the spot.
If your credit card/visa debit is compromised you can reorder a replacement card over the phone or via our branch network. You should receive the replacement card within 5-7 business days. - If you are entitled to a refund in relation to the fraudulent transaction on your card(s) (see the information under the heading “Liability” below) then the refund will be processed within a maximum of 10 days e.g. transaction amount, over limit fees, interest and other related charges.
How we protect you from ATM skimming
St.George ATMs are fitted with ATM anti skimming technology. A number of our ATMs have PIN pad shields concealing your PIN when entered.
We actively monitor your usual card spending, so we can detect any unusual spending patterns.
How we protect you from EFTPOS skimming
Because we are able to monitor usual card purchasing/spending patterns, we are able to detect any unusual patterns that may occur and prevent attempts by others to use your card.
Liability
This information is to assist you to look after the security of your card and PIN. It does not state the circumstances in which either you or St.George may be responsible for unauthorised transactions on your account.
Where the ePayments Code applies to you, St.George applies the rules in the Code to determine responsibility for unauthorised electronic transactions on your accounts.
Please refer to the terms and conditions applying to the use of your card for further information.